Collapsible casket



July 24, 1962 A. L E ROY MILLER 3,045,314

COLLAPSIBLE GASKET Filed Dec. 12, 1958 F/G. f7 5 /2 "m1924- /3 /g .39 /7 20 22 l va 25 Lr 'w-WJ F/GZ n El /l/l/f Q 7 I F/e 6 L 9 INVENIO ARTHUR LEPYM/LER ATTE RN EYE United States Patent 3,045,314 v COLLAPSIBLE GASKET Arthur Le Roy Miller, 92 Cone Road, Huntington, N.Y. Filed Dec. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 780,128

1 Claim. (Cl. 27-2) `This inventionrelates to burying devices and particularly caskets, and in particular a casket made in four sections and with the sections clamped together by clamps in spaced relation and extended continuously around and over the casket.

The purpose of this invention is to provide Ia collapsible casket which is of comparatively light weight to facilitate shipping and that may also be collapsed or folded up into -a comparatively small package.

At the present time caskets are relatively elaborate, making them costly and when formed of conventional design caskets are relatively heavy. With this thought in mind this inventioncontemp-lates a casket formed with flanged sections and in which the sections may be secured together by clamps extended over edges of the flanges.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an improved casket in which the casket is supplied in sections andthe sections clamped together on the job or as desired.

In numerous instances caskets are stored in funeral homes and the like and because of the length and size of the caskets storage space therefor is costly. For this reason `a casket of this invention is formed with detachable sections whereby the complete casket may be col lapsed and stored in a relatively small area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible casket which may be formed in ornamental designs.

A further object of the invention is to provide `a casket which is supplied in sections and which, after being assembled, has a neat and attractive appearance.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a casket formed in sections in which the casket is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in IView the invention embodies a casket having a base section split transversely at a point intermediate of the ends thereof providing forward and rear portions of the base, a cover also `formed in front and -rear portions positioned on the base, the cover and base having anges on meeting edges thereof, and U-shaped clamps extended over edges of the ang'es of the sections for positively clamping the sections in assembled relation.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of the improved casket with parts broken away showing the construction thereof.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the casket.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section through Ythe casket taken on line 3 3 of SIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section through sections of the casket `showing the sections in collapsed position.

FIGURE 5 is a cross `section through the casket with the parts as shown in FIGURE 4 and being taken on line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of kthe casket with other parts broken away, showing, in particular, the sealing elements between flanges of upper and lower portions of the casket.

FIGURE 7 is a cross section through the sealing or connecting elements of the sections of the casket being taken on line 7--7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view through the intermediate portion of the casket showing a metal pin l ,attrait Patented Jury 2a, rss2 mounted in one section and extended into an opening in the opposite section for aligning the sections.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved collapsible casket of this invention includes base `sections 10 and 11 and cover sections 12 and 13, the base sections being joined by clamps 14 positioned over meeting flanges l5 and 16, the cover sections being joined -by clamps 17 positioned over meeting flanges 18 and 19, the cover section 12 being secured to the base section lltl by clamps 20 tted over flanges 21 and 22 and the sections 11 and 13 being secured together by clamps 23 which are positioned over meeting anges 24 and 2S.

As illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7 the flanges are provided with grooves'26 into which tongues 27 extend and the clamps or spring clips are provided with lugs 28 to facilitate gripping or moving the clamps and, as shown in FIGURE 6 in particular the flanges are provided with inclined surfaces 29 whereby with the clamps driven along the flanges the flanges are forced together and with glue or other adhesive between the flanges a positive seal is obtained.

The casket is susceptible of being stored with the vari- 'ous parts thereof interrelated with each other as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. For this purpose the side Walls of the base sections 10 and 11 and cover sections 12 and 13 are offset so that the section 10 slides into the base section 11 and the cover section 13 is nested in the cover section 12, as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The base section 10 is provided with an enlarged portion 30 having an opening 31 therein in which a pin 32 is positioned and, as shown in FIGURE 8, the pin 32 extends into a similar opening 33 in an enlarged portion 34 on the inner surface of the Wall 35 of the base section 11 whereby with pins, similar lto the pin 32 provided in spaced relation on the side walls of the base sections the sections are readily aligned t-o facilitate assembly.

As illustrated in FIGURE l the meeting surfaces 36 4and 37 of the lower section or base of the casket are Oifset in relation to meeting surfaces 33 and 39 of the cover thereby eliminating the possibility of the casket bending at the joints or at the points of connection of the sections thereof.

With the parts `arranged Ias illustrated and described the two sections of the lower part or base of the casket are assembled and after placing the body in the casket one of the sections of the cover is installed with glue or other adhesive covering the faces of the flanges, tongues and grooves and the complete casket may be decorated with flowers or covered by other means to provide an attractive appearance; and at the completion of the funeral service the other section of the cover may be secured in position similarly. l.

With the sections of the casket separated and nested, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5, caskets may be distributed, shipped and stored, with the caskets occupying comparatively little space. The Walls of the casket areof compratively thin material so that the weight of the casket is reduced to a minimum.

It will be understood that other modifications, within the yscope of the appended claim, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

In a casket, the combination which comprises a base including a plurality of sections, a cover including a plurality of sections, said base and cover including side walls which have an offset relationship that permits nesting, said base and cover sections having meeting edges, aligning pins mounted in the base sections, the meeting edges of the base and cover sections being provided with flanges and the meeting surfaces of the flanges being provided with tongues and grooves, the outer surfaces of the anges being provided with tapered enlarged portions at spaced points therein, clamps extended over the flanges and positioned on said enlarged portions for urging the flanges of the sections of the casket together, and an adhesive positioned between the flanges lon said sections to effect a permanent seal between said anges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 30,874 Field Dec. 11, 1860 76,376 Arery et al. Apr. 7, 1868 4 Lawshe May 5, Hendrick Sept. 2.1, Barry Oct. 24, Baker Jan. 1, Montross May 1, Eagelman Jan. 29, Schlafly June 28, Tilton Feb. 21, Montross Apr. 22,

FOREIGN PATENTS France July 10, Great Britain Nov. 12, 

